As Qiao Qingyu heard the key turning in the front door lock, she had just removed her heavy cotton pants and tucked her cold feet under the blanket. The book in her hand was open to the fourth page when the sound of the door opening made her hold her breath. Someone had entered silently—not Ming Sheng.
Closing the book and placing it on the nightstand, Qiao Qingyu got out of bed.
Knock, knock.
As her bedroom door was being tapped, a gentle girl’s voice came from the other side: “Qiao Qingyu? Are you in there?”
It was Wang Mumu. Qiao Qingyu sighed in relief.
“Qiao Qingyu?”
“I’m here, just a moment.”
But Wang Mumu had already turned the doorknob. Pushing the door open, she saw Qiao Qingyu hurriedly putting on her cotton pants and discreetly frowned.
“You don’t need to get up, it’s cold,” Wang Mumu said, closing the door. She turned to Qiao Qingyu with a bright smile. “Did I startle you? Don’t worry, I won’t reveal your whereabouts. A-sheng told me everything, and I’ll keep the secret with him.”
Qiao Qingyu finished putting on her pants, her face showing a complex mix of gratitude and awkwardness.
“A-sheng told me you had a fever last night,” Wang Mumu said, walking over to sit on the bed. “Are you feeling better? It must be tough out there in this cold weather.”
“I’m much better, thank you, Sister Mumu.”
“I brought you some heat packs,” Wang Mumu smiled. “Last night, A-sheng told me he likes you and brought you here.”
Seemingly oblivious to Qiao Qingyu’s embarrassed expression, she continued casually, “I was worried he might not take good care of you. After all, he’s always been the one being pampered and has never looked after anyone else. I’m here to help with anything he might have overlooked.”
Under Wang Mumu’s warm smile, Qiao Qingyu felt that a simple “thank you” was too lightweight to match such golden kindness.
“Although I’m your senior, I admire you,” Wang Mumu continued. “My family situation is even messier, but I don’t dare to just leave like you did. You’re inherently free-spirited—no wonder A-sheng is attracted to you.”
Qiao Qingyu discovered for the first time that being praised could make her so uncomfortable she wanted to disappear.
“Sit down,” Wang Mumu said lightly, patting the bed. “Don’t just stand there.”
After Qiao Qingyu sat down, she asked, “What are your plans now?”
“Leave Huanzhou.”
Wang Mumu let out a surprised “Oh.” “Where to?”
Qiao Qingyu shook her head gently. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“I think leaving Huanzhou is wise,” Wang Mumu nodded thoughtfully. “But you need to figure out where to go and how. Your photos are everywhere now, and your family is sparing no effort to find you.”
Her sincerity touched Qiao Qingyu.
“But you need to leave quickly. Even Grandpa’s place isn’t safe anymore. Neighbors have already asked me why A-sheng is here again,” Wang Mumu looked around, then changed the subject. “Do you know why I have a key?”
Qiao Qingyu shook her head.
“I’ve had a key to Grandpa’s house since I was little. He gave it to me,” Wang Mumu explained. “This was like my second home when I was young.”
“I see.”
“But that key doesn’t open the front door anymore,” Wang Mumu smiled mysteriously yet contentedly. “After Grandpa passed away, A-sheng had a falling out with his family and changed the lock himself. Even his parents don’t have a key to this lock.”
“But you do.”
“Yes, he gave it to me,” Wang Mumu smiled gently. “I think it’s because he remembers what grandpa said, about letting me consider this my second home. He wouldn’t let me be homeless.”
“He’s so kind.”
“If he weren’t, he wouldn’t have found you and risked being discovered to bring you home,” Wang Mumu sighed meaningfully. “I was surprised when he voluntarily told me you were here last night. But then I understood. He’s always liked playing the hero, and of course, he wants to show off in front of a girl he likes. It’s perfectly normal. Don’t let his swagger at school fool you—he rarely truly dislikes anyone and easily shows friendliness and kindness, especially to those he pities. He’s helped countless people throughout his life! He particularly likes to stand up for the underdog. With your dire situation, it would be strange if he didn’t help you.”
Qiao Qingyu nodded in agreement, though feeling somewhat uneasy.
“You’re lucky A-sheng found you and brought you home,” Wang Mumu glanced at Qiao Qingyu. “Well, I’ll be frank. After A-sheng told me he likes you last night, I’ve been worried he might do something immature and hurt you.”
“No, he’s been very… respectful,” Qiao Qingyu hesitated.
“I don’t mean that kind of harm. I mean…” Wang Mumu laughed awkwardly, “I’m afraid you might not be able to resist his charm and fall for him. I’ve never seen him pursue a girl, but if he did, what girl wouldn’t say yes? Who wouldn’t want to be his first love? It’s fine if he likes others, but liking you worries me.”
Qiao Qingyu felt even more uneasy and confused but continued listening.
“I’m afraid he might bewitch you,” Wang Mumu looked at Qiao Qingyu earnestly. “For him, making a girl fall for him takes no effort—just standing there is enough. Him bringing you home, buying you food—I can hardly imagine you’d feel nothing. That’s what I fear. For boys like A-sheng who love playing the hero, what they call ‘like’ is often just a firework—brilliant but brief, vanishing without a trace. It’ll take many years after he’s had his fun and matured before he can truly settle down. Too many girls like him, and he faces too many temptations.”
Qiao Qingyu felt a thorn pressing against her chest, making her uncomfortable.
“Many girls who like A-sheng are shameless. They don’t care if he’s faithful,” Wang Mumu frowned slightly. “What I fear is that by the time you take it seriously, he might have changed his mind, and then the one who gets hurt would be…”
“Sister Mumu,” Qiao Qingyu couldn’t help interrupting, “I understand.”
Wang Mumu looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, I’ve dampened your spirits.”
Qiao Qingyu remained silent.
“I knew before I spoke that honest advice is hard to hear,” Wang Mumu smiled wryly, then looked at her carefully. “I think the three of us—you, me, and A-sheng—could become great friends who can talk about anything. Being friends is safer; friendship is eternal. What do you think?”
“I feel a bit dizzy,” Qiao Qingyu stood up. “It’s too stuffy in here.”
As she lifted the white gauze curtain and opened the window, the sound of rain suddenly intensified. A damp chill invaded her neck, causing her to sneeze several times. Frankly, she felt somewhat irritated by Wang Mumu’s uninvited visit and heartfelt advice. She disliked being persuaded, especially under the guise of good intentions. Yet, she couldn’t deny the truth in Wang Mumu’s words. As Ming Sheng’s childhood friend, she undoubtedly knew him best. Deep down, Qiao Qingyu found herself feeling an irrepressible jealousy towards Wang Mumu, which made her feel guilty and ashamed.
Wang Mumu approached, gently rubbing Qiao Qingyu’s back with one hand while closing the window with the other.
“I’m sorry, I was too direct,” Wang Mumu said softly. “You have a cold; don’t catch a chill again.”
“It’s fine,” Qiao Qingyu forced a smile. “Now that I’ve calmed down, I realize Ming Sheng might just be acting on impulse. What you said about him liking to play the hero makes sense. Initially, I felt he only pitied me. Now he probably finds my actions exciting, and he likes excitement.”
“Boys all seek thrill and novelty, but girls are different,” Wang Mumu’s eyes shone with sincerity. “A-sheng used to be well-behaved; he only started rebelling in high school. He’s not even sixteen yet, and boys that age are the most impulsive.”
Imagining Ming Sheng looking at other girls the way he looked at her made Qiao Qingyu feel suffocated.
“Sister Mumu, why did he start fighting with others as soon as he entered high school?”
“You mean when he hit someone with a basketball in his first year?” Wang Mumu nodded. “That wasn’t fighting. People from Yizhong would bring troublemakers to our school on weekends to watch games. A-sheng didn’t like them and just chased them away.”
“It feels like he became rebellious overnight.”
“Did he need to file a report?” Wang Mumu laughed. “In middle school, there was pressure from the high school entrance exam. His father had high expectations for his grades. Once in high school, since he’s going to study in America anyway and became more popular, it’s normal for his behavior to become a bit more outrageous.”
“Studying in America?”
“Yes,” Wang Mumu nodded. “A-sheng’s parents have already paved the way. His aunt is a professor in the US. Though he’s rebellious, he won’t be careless with his studies. He’s always followed his parents’ plans; otherwise, he wouldn’t frequently go to the US to familiarize himself with schools there and get tutored by teachers there. He’ll settle in America. This is another reason I’m advising you to stay calm. You see, we’re not from the same world as him.”
Qiao Qingyu remained silent. The rain grew heavier, and beyond the thin white gauze curtain, the world turned a gloomy gray.
Pain brings clarity. In the time between Wang Mumu’s departure and Ming Sheng’s return, a more rational Qiao Qingyu thoroughly considered both her emotions and reality. Ming Sheng had called her “boring” from the start, she thought. If they were to live together, it wouldn’t take long for him to discover that beneath her mysterious facade, she was still the uninteresting person he had initially dismissed. Then he would grow tired of her, and the hardships of life on the run would quickly extinguish his enthusiasm for her. Although he complained about his parents, Qiao Qingyu was certain—for reasons she couldn’t quite explain—that he would eventually return to the path his parents had laid out for him. The reason was simple: despite causing trouble, he hadn’t neglected his studies.
She was different. As the faces of her family members and the looks from her classmates after school started flashed before her eyes, Qiao Qingyu felt that each of them represented an abyss before her. She had no future in Huanzhou; she had to leave.
There was no point in staying longer. She would leave soon.
Ming Sheng’s study was wide open, and from the living room couch, one could see the desk and computer by the bed. The lit computer screen was extremely simple, with only a few Windows default programs and the penguin icon of QQ. Qiao Qingyu walked over, about to search for bus routes out of Huanzhou, when the sudden ringing of the phone in the living room startled her, freezing her right hand on the mouse.
“Ring ring ring ring—”
The harsh sound came from the landline next to the sofa. Moving closer, Qiao Qingyu saw an unfamiliar mobile number on the small display screen of the phone.
She wouldn’t answer, of course. As she wondered if it might be Ming Sheng’s parents looking for him, the ringing stopped. Just as she told herself to leave quickly and turned around, the phone behind her suddenly rang loudly again.
This time, the number was Ming Sheng’s.
In those few seconds of uncertainty, various possibilities flashed through Qiao Qingyu’s mind. Was Ming Sheng calling himself? Had someone found his lost phone and was trying to return it to the number labeled “Home”? Or had he returned to Qinghu Mingyuan and been discovered by his parents, who had confiscated his phone?
“Ring ring ring ring—”
The urgent ringing left Qiao Qingyu flustered, making a minute feel like a century. Just as she calmed down, the phone rang for the third time after a brief pause.
Again, it was Ming Sheng.
This time, the ringing seemed even more urgent than before. Unable to bear it any longer, she nervously picked up the receiver.
“Qiao Qingyu?”
Ming Sheng’s voice through the receiver was slightly lower than usual. It crept into her heart like a steady arrow, bursting the balloon of anxiety that had been growing inside her.
“Qiao Qingyu?”
The second call was louder, with undisguised concern. Another balloon inflated in Qiao Qingyu’s heart—one of fluttering satisfaction that could make her soar.
“It’s me,” she replied in a low voice. “What’s wrong?”
The faint sound of a suppressed sigh of relief from the other end made her heart tremble.
“Just scaring you.”
Ming Sheng sounded relaxed now, even with a hint of amusement.
Childish, Qiao Qingyu thought, yet the corners of her mouth turned up.
“Qiao Qingyu.”
Suddenly serious, Ming Sheng’s tone made Qiao Qingyu anxious again. “What is it?”
“Don’t leave,” Ming Sheng enunciated each word. “Wait for me to come back, understand?”